Chinese Restaurant Offering Lion Cub Hugs with Tea Draws Outrage from Animal Rights Groups
A restaurant in northern China is facing heavy criticism from animal welfare groups and social media users after promoting a luxury dining experience that includes hugging lion cubs. Despite backlash, the restaurant insists the animals are well cared for.
The establishment, named Wanhui, recently opened in June in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province. As part of its high-end offering, customers can pay 1,078 yuan (about $150) for a four-course tea service that includes close contact with lion cubs. The restaurant reportedly sells around 20 of these experiences per day.
Images and videos of guests cradling the cubs have been shared widely on Chinese platforms WeChat and Weibo, prompting a wave of condemnation online. Critics argue that such interactions are harmful to the animals and unsafe for humans.
In a statement to Reuters, Wanhui confirmed the presence of lion cubs on-site and claimed they are in good health, under the supervision of specialized caregivers. The restaurant also features other live animals—including llamas, turtles, and deer—on its Douyin (China’s TikTok equivalent) profile.
While dining near animals is not uncommon in some zoos around the world, such as those in Singapore or Australia, direct physical interaction with wild animals in a restaurant setting is highly unusual—and controversial.
Online reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. “This is just a playground for the rich,” wrote one Weibo user. Another added, “Authorities need to intervene.”
Animal rights organizations were quick to speak out. Jason Baker, senior vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), called the practice “exploitation, not entertainment.”
“Tearing lion cubs from their mothers so diners can handle them over afternoon tea is cruel,” he said. “These animals are living, feeling beings—not social media props.”
Peter Li, China policy expert at Humane World for Animals, echoed the sentiment, calling the promotion “morally unacceptable and dangerously irresponsible.”
“Even a young lion has the strength to injure a human. Treating wild animals like props for photos and marketing gimmicks is appallingly bad for animal welfare—and puts people at risk.”
This isn’t the first time China has faced scrutiny over animal handling in hospitality venues. Just last month, authorities launched an investigation into a hotel in Chongqing that offered a bizarre “wake-up service” involving red pandas. Guests were reportedly awakened by the animals climbing into their beds—a practice that also drew fierce criticism online.
